A six year old daughter of a footpath dweller in the city was allegedly murdered by some unidentified persons in the wee hours of Wednesday. Later in the day,one minor boy was detained and police suspect the murderers might have even tried to rape the child.

Laxmi Chunara and his husband Bharat,who live on footpath near Sayajigunj circle,realised that their younger daughter was not with them when they were waken up by Laxmis sister Rupa Vadi at around 2 am. Rupa,a resident of Bodeli taluka in Vadodara district had come to see her sister.

The couple,who are daily wagers,searched for the girl in nearby areas but to no avail and then informed Sayajigunj police.

Meanwhile,a boy came to the circle and told the couple that his brother had picked up the girl and taken her to Vadodara railway station.

He told us that his brother had changed clothes of the girl. He also offered that if we gave him Rs 100,he could lead us to our daughter, Laxmi stated in her complained. However,the boy fled when Bharat started asking him questions.

After a few hours,Laxmis brother Ravji Godadia,who also lives in the city,found out the boy from near Jetalpur underpass and handed over to police. The boy told the police that the girl was taken towards Kala Ghoda circle.

After checking the area,the girl was found lying at a culvert near Faculty of Commerce of M S University in the early morning.

There were bruises on her face and blood on her private parts with clothes removed from lower part of the body,police said.

We suspect she was strangulated to death. The assailants might have either raped or attempted to rape her before murdering the girl, said Sayajigunj police inspector A B Saiyad.

The police said they sent the body for post mortem and were waiting for its report to know the actual cause of death.

The inspector further said they had detained a minor boy in connection with the incident.

Incidentally,a few months ago,a nine-year-old girl of Vadsar area was allegedly abducted,raped and murdered by a man from Bihar. In yet another incident,a minor girl was raped by her neighbour in Navayard recently.

On the basis of Laxmis complaint,Sayajigunj police have lodged cases of abduction,rape and murder against unidentified persons and started investigation.